When your business or public agency joins the Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative you’ll gain access to 30 percent postconsumer recycled paper that meets or beats virgin paper prices. Solana Recyclers of Encinitas, California is behind the effort. Currently, discount prices are available in California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington and will expand to all 50 states over the coming year. 760-436-7986 solana@adnc.com
At this summer’s annual meeting of the National Governors Association, which represents governors from all 50 states, “Principles for Better Land Use” was adopted as land use policy. As the 1999 Chair of NGA’s Natural Resources Committee, Maryland Governor Glendening, who initiated the policy commented, “There are better ways to accommodate growth than to spend government money subsidizing the development of our natural resources and creating urban sprawl. The guiding principles in our new policy encourage more sustainable growth.” The 10 principles encourage state and local governments to: — Mix land uses — Take advantage of existing community assets — Create a range of housing opportunities and choices — Foster “walkable” close-knit neighborhoods — Promote distinctive communities with a strong sense of place, rehabilitate and use historic buildings — Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas — Strengthen and encourage growth in existing communities — Provide a variety of transportation choices — Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective — Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions
The Sustainable Energy Coalition recently delivered a letter to President Bill Clinton asking him to veto a Fiscal Year 2000 funding bill that provides inadequate funding for renewables (a 22% cut) and efficiency programs (a 18% cut). “The cuts are particularly unacceptable as we finish up a summer season marked by record temperatures, a severe drought in the eastern U.S., massive wildfires in the western states, the spread of insects carrying tropical diseases into northern states, and the prospect of wide-spread destruction throughout the south by hurricanes such as Floyd,” says the Coalition’s letter.
The National Recycling Coalition’s Buy Recycled Business Alliance has compiled 20 building project profiles that extensively use recycled materials. The one-page summaries are online: they concisely describe the project, materials used, along with key contact information for their sources. A companion supplement provides details and discusses the challenges encountered in using the materials. Among the facilities profiled are: – Ben & Jerry’s – Women’s Humane Society Animal Shelter, Bensalem, PA. – The Body Shop American Headquarters, Wake Forest, NC. – Metro Regional Headquarters, Portland, OR. – Erickson’s Corporate Headquarters, Hudson, WI. It’s free. Kevin Berry: KevinB@nrc-recycle.org At the BRBA website, Click into “What’s New” FROM Environmental Building News
You may have heard about Home Depot’s important announcement, but in case you haven’t, here’s what CEO Arthur Blank said in his keynote speech at the company’s 20th anniversary dinner: “Our pledge to our customers, associates and stockholders is that Home Depot will stop selling wood products from environmentally sensitive areas. By the end of 2002, we will eliminate from our stores wood from endangered areas — including certain lauan, redwood and cedar products — and give preference to ‘certified’ wood. The company pledged to hold the line on prices during the transition to sustainable wood products. Rainforest Action Network, the leader of an international campaign to influence Home Depot to change its policy, was both jubilant and cautious. Home Depot made a similar commitment in 1992 that it failed to follow through on. Blank said the company decided to act now because “Frankly, given the size of the company today we have the ability…to make a change in the world. For many years, when we were smaller, we didn’t have that opportunity.” Home Depot joins 27 U.S. corporations – including IBM, Dell, Kinko’s, Nike, 3M, Levi-Strauss, Mitsubishi Motors America, Mitsubishi Electric America, and others – who, in December 1998, […]
Manufacturing with Reused and Recycled Materials: 50 Small Opportunities is available from Materials For The Future Foundation. It profiles 50 manufacturing businesses that deal in recycled/reused materials ranging from aluminum to wood. It includes information on business planning and getting financing. 415-561-6530; mff@igc.org FROM Waste Reduction Tips
Negotiations on existing World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and a new “global, free logging agreement” proposed by the U.S. are high on the agenda for the WTO meeting in Seattle, November 29 – December 3. The meeting opens the next major world trade negotiations due to start early in 2000. Ministers and senior officials from over 150 governments are expected to attend. The goal is to reduce tariffs on wood and paper products – but the results threaten countries’ attempts to protect their forests through mechanisms like certification, banning log exports, and preventing migration of invasive species. In addition, phasing out tariffs is bound to fuel consumption and demand, already predicted to rise. Indeed, a recent study by the Finnish consulting firm Jaakko Poyry estimates that tariff-free trade will result in a three to four percent increase in forest product consumption. And the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s “State of the World’s Forests 1999” report forecasts a 25 percent increase in worldwide industrial wood production and consumption by the year 2010.
Six years ago, the compactors at Baxter Healthcare’s Renal Division were picked up four times a month. Now, they average four pick-ups a year. The trash disposal cost dropped from $20,000 per employee to $1500 per year! At this facility, where administration, engineering and R&D activities take place, virtually no stone is left unturned. In addition to the standard materials recycled (office paper, aluminum, corrugated), there’s a long list of others: transparencies, toner cartridges, fluorescent lamps, computers, and metal scrap. Employees exchange surplus office supplies, use rechargeable batteries, donate packaging peanuts to a local shipping store, and magazines and books go to local libraries. Copy machines are set to default for double-sided copying. There’s a junk mail deletion program. The Purchasing Department orders recycled materials for all office supplies by default and to reduce packaging (and shipping costs) they place orders weekly instead of daily. A 10-person Pollution Prevention Committee, dubbed Trashbusters, oversees Baxter’s recycling and waste reduction activities. Every month, several Trashbusters visit about 30 employees in their offices to inspect wastecans for recyclable materials. Offending employees are “busted,” while employees doing a good job are rewarded with a token gift, like a box of candy. They encourage employees […]
The National Tour of Solar Homes is held every October throughout the United States. Homeowners open their doors to visitors to demonstrate the renewable energy and conservation features of their homes. The tour highlights renewable energy technologies that are working right now, in real places, for real people. People in 100 communities in 42 states are offering tours. Homes on the Tour feature many different technologies including PV, solar hot water, solar thermal, passive solar design, daylighting and wind power. Last year, 12,000 people visited more than 700 homes and businesses in this one day national effort to promote solar energy. Information is available at the American Solar Energy Society website.
Endangered species often make their homes on private land. The Environmental Defense Fund has an online library of information on incentives for landowners to conserve these irreplaceable species under the Safe Harbor agreements. [sorry this link is no longer available]
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